Category: Press Release

Fortrea’s Site Advisory Board brings research leaders together to focus on evolving site, sponsor and patient relationships

DURHAM, N.C., Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) (the “Company”), a leading global contract research organization (CRO), today announced it convened last week the inaugural meeting of its Site Advisory Board, a collaboration between clinical research investigator sites (“sites”) and industry leaders to create a better clinical trial experience for sites, patients and clinical study sponsors (“sponsors”) by targeting changes in technology, operational planning and delivery, commercial terms and community engagement.

Fortrea places sites and investigators at the forefront of clinical trial planning, leveraging their perspectives to drive changes that will improve the speed of trial execution, ease study start up and increase recruitment efficiency. These changes address long-standing challenges within clinical trials and will result in a better site, patient and sponsor trial experience. The Site Advisory Board will be responsible for providing insight and feedback on strategies and solutions proposed regarding sites, patients, trial operations and relevant technology.

“Sites and investigators are critical to the industry at every stage of clinical development, and they traditionally have faced hard-to-solve challenges in clinical trials alone. We welcome their insights in protocol design and actively engage them in early conversations with our operational teams and sponsors to quickly establish the most efficient, patient-focused trial plans,” said Mike Clay, vice president, Development Strategy and Growth, at Fortrea. “The formation of the Site Advisory Board marks an acceleration of our site-focused strategy and includes representation from incredibly impressive leaders, creating a think tank for our industry. The Board will also serve as a cornerstone of our ability to respond to sponsors with insights that improve the predictability of their trials, working together to develop efficient operational plans and provide sponsors with a high degree of confidence in speed of patient recruitment and overall trial delivery.”

Inaugural members of Fortrea’s Site Advisory Board include leaders and experts from Circuit Clinical, Elligo Health Research, FutureMeds, Javara, MD Anderson Cancer Center Foundation Spain, ObjectiveHealth, Pratia S.A. and Velocity Clinical Research, representing 440 sites across more than 25 therapeutic areas and nine countries and providing access to diverse patient communities.

What Fortrea’s Site Advisory Board members are saying…

“We firmly believe that this collaborative approach, bringing together both CRO and sites, will enable all stakeholders to align more effectively on perspectives within the clinical trial market,” said Łukasz Bęczkowski, chief operating officer at Pratia. “This, undoubtedly, empowers us to act together in a more efficient manner. Initiatives like these play a crucial role in propelling us all towards positive and expedited changes.”

“Fortrea is taking a ‘listen first’ approach by giving sites an equal voice towards the most effective working practices for dynamic patient communities and site stakeholders, leading to the best service to clinical trial sponsors,” said Nick Spittal, chief operations officer at Velocity Clinical Research.

“Fortrea is leading the industry in making partnerships more productive and efficient, from trial process to business relationships, all in the effort to accelerate new products to market,” said Barry Simms, chief operating officer at Elligo Health Research.

“Providing the appropriate patient access solution is vital in determining the ultimate success of a clinical trial. Historically, care providers have not been involved in the early development of research planning and strategy,” said Colleen Hoke, chief executive officer at ObjectiveHealth. “We are very supportive of Fortrea employing an innovative new approach to engage with healthcare site partnership providers, who are key to delivering successful research results, early in the planning process.”

“FutureMeds is delighted to join the Fortrea Site Advisory Board to build better understanding between key stakeholders in the clinical research industry,” said Radek Janiak, chief executive officer at FutureMeds. “Hearing the voice of patients, investigators and sites will put Fortrea in a pole position for bringing new therapies to the market.”

“Working across the vast clinical trial ecosystem is complex and requires highly functional partnerships centered on trust and competence,” said Michelle Rule, senior vice president of enterprise optimization at Javara. “Fortrea’s genuine commitment to building a forum and working relationships through the Site Advisory Board exhibits dedication to progress for all stakeholders in research and, most of all, the patients.”

About Fortrea

Fortrea (Nasdaq: FTRE) is a leading global provider of clinical development and patient access solutions to the life sciences industry. We partner with emerging and large biopharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic companies to drive healthcare innovation that accelerates life changing therapies to patients in need. Fortrea provides phase I-IV clinical trial management, clinical pharmacology, differentiated technology-enabled trial solutions and post-approval services. Fortrea’s solutions leverage three decades of experience spanning more than 20 therapeutic areas, a passion for scientific rigor, exceptional insights and a strong investigator site network. Our talented and diverse team of about 19,000 people working in more than 90 countries is scaled to deliver focused and agile solutions to customers globally. Learn more about how Fortrea is becoming a transformative force from pipeline to patient at Fortrea.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) @Fortrea.

Fortrea Contacts:
Fortrea Media: Galen Wilson – 703-298-0802, media@fortrea.com
Fortrea Media: Kate Dillon – 646-818-9115, kdillon@prosek.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8994021

Pockets of opportunity emerge in private credit and secondaries

LONDON, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today Preqin, the global leader in alternative assets data, tools, and insights, published its Alternatives in 2024 report, part of the Preqin Global Reports 2024. The report provides analysis on trends on key factors and trends driving the alternative assets industry.

While 2023 is a year so far characterized by market headwinds and a challenging fundraising environment for investors and fund managers alike, Preqin analysts remain optimistic about the outlook for global alternative assets. For instance, private debt fundraising fared relatively well in comparison to other private capital asset classes, while secondaries deal flow should start to pick up going into 2024 as the market comes back into balance.

Cameron Joyce, Head of Private Equity, Research Insights at Preqin, says, “Amid the formidable headwinds marked by swiftly tightening monetary policy and economic uncertainty, alternative assets have remained comparatively resilient. The industry continues to evolve rapidly, and promising opportunities are presenting themselves in areas such as private debt and secondaries. We continue to forecast solid growth for the industry despite softening expectations around fundraising and performance.”

Key highlights from each asset class:

Private equity faces a stern test:

The private equity market has been hampered by rising interest rates – which have weighed on deal activity – and a constrained exit environment. Dealmakers are hoping for an increase in activity during 2024 and long-term investor appetite remains strong.

Venture capital investor sentiment on performance improves:

Venture capital returns have been challenged by factors such as the poor exit environment, elevated asset valuations, and climbing interest rates. Noting this, our latest investor survey shows that investors’ outlook is shifting, and they are comparatively more positive on the performance of the asset class over the next 12 months.

Private debt fundraising holds up:

Private debt’s floating-rate structure and seniority in the capital stack are especially attractive for investors seeking more defensive assets in challenging conditions, with strategies such as mezzanine debt growing in popularity.

Hedge funds’ AUM rises despite net outflows:

Hedge funds’ AUM growth has been driven primarily by asset returns and not inflows and outflows. In fact, hedge fund returns during months of market volatility proved that they can be effective in providing investors with downside protection. Niche strategies such as cryptocurrencies and insurance-linked securities (ILS) gained prominence due to their low public market correlation.

Real estate under pressure:

Rising interest rates have weighed on investment sentiment, resulting in weaker fundraising and deal activity. As investors flock toward larger funds in search of a sense of security, fundraising has been even more challenging for first-time and smaller funds.

Infrastructure may be turning a corner:

Fundraising fell sharply in 2023, a significant reversal after fund managers amassed record sums in 2022. But third-quarter deal activity proved robust and tailwinds from energy transition will continue to underpin the long-term growth of unlisted infrastructure.

For more information, contact Mimi Celeste Taylor at mimiceleste.taylor@preqin.com.  

Notes to the editors

Alternatives in 2024 is a freely available version to accompany the Preqin Global Reports 2024. This complimentary report explores the impact of macroeconomic headwinds and market volatility on alternative assets this year and beyond.

If you are a full-time member of the press and would like to receive a full copy of any of the following reports, please get in touch: Private equity, venture capital, private debt, hedge funds, real estate and infrastructure. For non-press, the 2024 Preqin Global Reports are available for Preqin Insights+ subscribers.

About Preqin

Preqin, the Home of Alternatives, empowers financial professionals who invest in or allocate to alternatives with essential data and insight to make confident decisions. It supports them throughout the entire investment lifecycle with critical information and leading analytics solutions. The company has pioneered rigorous methods of collecting private data for over 20 years, enabling more than 200,000 professionals globally to streamline how they raise capital, source deals and investments, understand performance, and stay informed. For more information visit www.preqin.com.

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000903920

LeddarTech Present at CES Las Vegas 2024

LeddarTech Present at CES Las Vegas 2024

QUEBEC CITY, Canada, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LeddarTech^® (NASDAQ: LDTC), an automotive software company that provides patented disruptive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software technology for ADAS and AD, is thrilled to announce its presence at CES 2024 (booth 11014 LVCC/North Hall) and to offer visitors an exclusive glimpse into the next generation of software technology and inspired products enabling ADAS and AD applications.

IMMERSE YOURSELF in the future of automotive innovation with LeddarVision, a sensor and processor-agnostic, high-performance and versatile automotive low-level sensor fusion and perception software platform that generates a comprehensive 3D environmental model from various sensor types (camera, radar and LiDAR) and configurations.

Experience LeddarVision and L2/L3 ADAS products in action in various climates and road conditions on the LeddarTech interactive dashboard featuring:

• **NEW** LeddarVision Surround (LVS-2⁺) is the surround-view premium fusion and perception stack that efficiently extends the LVF front-view product family 1VxR sensor configuration to a 5V5R configuration.
• **Award-winning** LeddarVision Front Entry (LVF-E), a front-view fusion and perception stack for entry-level ADAS L2/L2+ highway assist and 5-star NCAP 2025/GSR 2022 featuring Texas Instruments’ TDA4VM-Q1 processor. The LVF-E achieves the lowest system cost for L2/L2+ entry-level ADAS.
  • October 2023 – ADAS System of the Year Award granted by the UK-based AutoTech Breakthrough
  • November 2023 – Self-Driving Industry Sensing Software Award from Cars of the Future UK

RIDE ALONG LeddarCar live: Customers and analysts are invited to book a real-world on-road demonstration of LeddarTech’s LeddarVision low-level fusion and perception software technology.

Customers, analysts, investors and the media are invited to schedule a meeting with
our team at CES to learn more about LeddarTech.

“Join us as we demonstrate our groundbreaking LeddarVision automotive software solutions in the dynamic LeddarCar and unveil our cutting-edge ADAS products and technology at CES 2024,” stated Frantz Saintellemy, President, COO and incoming CEO of LeddarTech. “CES is a great opportunity for us to connect with our customers, partners, media, investors and policymakers and to showcase how our technology improves mobility and quality of life for all road users. LeddarTech’s participation at CES 2024 underscores our pivotal role in advancing the future of automotive technology, reinforcing our position as a leading player in automotive software.”

About LeddarTech

A global software company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Quebec City with additional R&D centers in Montreal, Toronto and Tel Aviv, Israel, LeddarTech develops and provides comprehensive AI-based low-level sensor fusion and perception software solutions that enable the deployment of ADAS and autonomous driving (AD) applications. LeddarTech’s automotive-grade software applies advanced AI and computer vision algorithms to generate accurate 3D models of the environment to achieve better decision making and safer navigation. This high-performance, scalable, cost-effective technology is available to OEMs and Tier 1-2 suppliers to efficiently implement automotive and off-road vehicle ADAS solutions.

LeddarTech is responsible for several remote-sensing innovations, with over 150 patent applications (80 granted) that enhance ADAS and AD capabilities. Better awareness around the vehicle is critical in making global mobility safer, more efficient, sustainable and affordable: this is what drives LeddarTech to seek to become the most widely adopted sensor fusion and perception software solution.

Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.LeddarTech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Facebook and YouTube.

Contact:
Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications and Investor Relations, LeddarTech Inc. Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232 daniel.aitken@LeddarTech.com

• Investor relations website: https://investors.LeddarTech.com
• Investor relations contact: Kevin Hunt, ICR Inc. kevin.hunt@icrinc.com
• Financial media contact: Dan Brennan, ICR Inc. dan.brennan@icrinc.com

Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, VAYADrive, VayaVision and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe9b76b7-c72b-416d-8174-2b4bfe122503

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8991943